Access to JCHS collections is provided to those who request it in accordance with the JCHS Collections Policy. Please read the entire JCHS Collections Policy before visiting. Authorization for access will be given or denied by JCHS curatorial staff.

Research Services and Fees

The following tabs represent answers to frequently asked questions about our research services and fees. Please download a PDF of the JCHS Research Services and Fees for complete information.

Hours

Please email a request to our museum curator with details regarding information you are seeking. Please provide dates and names so that we can determine if we have any information to help you with your search. The requests will be answered in the order in which they are received.

Standard access to our collections is during normal museum hours. Special requests are occasionally permitted.

Help

There is no fee for researchers to access the collections to do their own research.

There is also no charge to have curatorial staff look at the collections database to determine if JCHS has resources available for your topic.

If a researcher wishes to know a specific piece of information contained in material in the JCHS’ collections, JCHS can provide up to 15 minutes of research time. Researchers should submit requests in writing or online via our Contact page. Copying and postage fees will be billed as necessary.

At this time, we cannot provide additional research services but upon request staff will provide a list of private researchers.

Fees

The following fee schedule is subject to change at any time.

Black and White Photocopies (8 ½ x 11 or 8 ½ x 14):

25 cents per copy

Processing Fee for Digital Reproductions (600dpi color JPEG file):

$15 per image

Licensing Fee:

$20 per image

Digital Delivery Fees – Image file e-mailed to one address:

no charge

Hardcopy Delivery Fees – Image file on CD:

$5.00 per disk

Shipping/Handling for photocopies or CDs:

$5.00

Note: Fees for more than 10 images may be subject to negotiation.

Member Benefits

JCHS Members receive up to five black and white photocopies for free (8 ½” x 11” or 8 ½” x 14”) per research project, up to one hour free research time, and a 10% discount on fees for digital reproductions and licensing.

Collections

The following is a list of current major collections within JCHS’ holdings. This is not an exhaustive list of JCHS collections, but represents possible areas of research interest.

Personal Collections

Coldren Family. Papers, Correspondance, Family Histories and Photographs. c. 1848-c.1940s. Includes material from the John N. Coldren, Ezekiel Clark, and Samuel J. Kirkwood families and travel postcards of May Coldren.

Community Stories Collection. Photographs, Histories of Johnson County Communities, Objects and Oral Histories. Assembled by JCHS’ Community Stories Project in 2008-2009.

Coralville 4th of July Parade, history and photographs, c. 1983-2000. notebooks created by parade organizer Margaret Morgan.

Oral History Interviews. 1997-present. Over 100 recorded interviews and transcriptions of Johnson County residents. Project topics include farm life, theaters, Johnson County Fair, rural schools, Coralville Schoolhouse, Tiffin, Community Stories Project, St. Mary and St. Patrick School Iowa City, World War II local knitting projects, other individual non-project oral histories.

Quilt Registration Project. Photographs and Documentation. 1994. Color slides of quilts in private collections in Johnson County and those in the JCHS collection.

Snyder/Hess Family. Personal Correspondance. c. 1820-c.1908. letters of William B. Snyder and Samuel J. Hess family including correspondance during the California gold rush.

Stewart, George and Zella (White). Head, University of Iowa Department of Physics and Iowa City Allergist respectively. Papers. c. 1890-1960s. Personal and professional correspondance, photographs, travel scrapbooks.